Automated electronic vacuum system and method

• US 20040177467A1
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eyevac LLC
• Original Assignee: Horseshoebowl Incorporated
• Inventors: Jones, Terry G., Leveridge, Philip, Warren, James M., Gerard, Christian, Andrews, Hoyet H. III, Spurgat, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/310
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/38 Built-in suction cleaner installations, i.e. with fixed tube system to which, at different stations, hoses can be connected
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0047 Furniture or stationary devices with suction openings built-in suction cleaners A47L5/38

Abstract

A vacuum device has a housing. The housing forms an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The housing also forms a viewable compartment for retaining refuse vacuumed by the device. A vacuum motor is located in the housing. The vacuum motor has a suction inlet and a vent outlet. The suction inlet is connected to the viewable compartment. The suction inlet is also connected to the inlet opening of the housing. The vent outlet of the vacuum motor is to the outlet opening of the housing. An electric circuit of the device is connected to the vacuum motor. The electric circuit is connected to a sensor and includes a microcontroller. The sensor, for example, an infrared beam and detector, triggers the electric circuit, and programmed control by the microcontroller, when the beam is broken and not detected by the detector. When the beam is broken, the sensor signals the microcontroller and the microcontroller logically powers-on the vacuum motor to suction the refuse into the housing.

Claims

1. A system for vacuum cleaning, comprising:

a housing, having an inlet and an outlet;

a vacuum motor connected to the inlet and the outlet of the housing;

a controller, connected to the vacuum motor, for selectively controlling the vacuum motor in response to an event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event is external to the system.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor connected to the controller; and

wherein the event is detectable by the sensor.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller powers on the vacuum motor whenever the event occurs.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller powers on the vacuum motor whenever the event is detected via the sensor.

6. A vacuum device, comprising:

a housing, having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the housing having a viewable compartment substantially formed integral to the housing;

a vacuum motor, having a suction inlet and a vent outlet, each connected to the viewable compartment, and connected at the suction inlet to the inlet opening of the housing and connected at the vent outlet to the outlet opening of the housing;

an electric circuit connected to the vacuum motor;

a sensor connected to the circuit, the sensor operable responsive to detection thereby of an external event; and

a microcontroller controller connected to the circuit and the sensor.

7. The vacuum device of claim 6, wherein the outlet opening includes supports for maintaining a filter at the vent outlet.

8. The vacuum device of claim 6, wherein the electric circuit includes switches for programming the microcontroller to selectively control the vacuum motor either on or off;

and wherein the microcontroller is further programmed to selectively control the vacuum motor on, in response to detection of the external event by the sensor.

9. A vacuum controller, comprising:

a three-position switch;

a two-position switch;

a light sensor; and

a circuit connected to the three-position switch, the two-position switch, and the light sensor;

wherein the circuit controls the vacuum operation in response to inputs from the three-position switch, the two-position switch and the light sensor, as follows;

three-positiontwo-positionswitchswitchsensorvacuumManOffOffOffManOnOffOnManOnOnOnManOffOnOffOffOnOffOffOffOnOnOffOffOffOnOffOffOffOffOffAutoOffOnOnAutoOffOffOffAutoOnOnOnAutoOnOffOn

10. A method of automated operation of a vacuum device, comprising the steps of:

sensing an external event to the vacuum device; and

controlling power on of the vacuum device based on the step of sensing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of sensing comprises the step of:

viewing an infrared beam;

interfering with the infrared beam;

failing in the step of viewing because of the step of interfering.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

manually overriding the step of controlling.

13. A method of collecting swept refuse, comprising the steps of:

positioning the refuse near a vacuum device;

powering on the vacuum device; and

sucking the refuse into the vacuum device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

sensing an event; and

controlling the step of powering on the vacuum device, in response to the step of sensing the event.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

selectively controlling the step of powering on the vacuum device, in response to the step of sensing and also in response to manual stimuli.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

retaining the refuse from the step of sucking in an emptyable enclosure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of sensing includes the step of detecting a light beam.

18. A circuit for aiding alignment of a sensor to a beam, comprising:

a viewable LED electrically connected to the sensor;

wherein the viewable LED increases in brightness as the sensor becomes more accurately aligned with the beam.